And Now What Noam?

In his concession speech last night, Noam Bramson said:

“I end this campaign more committed to public service than I have ever been,” he said. “The cause for which every one of us worked will be just as important tomorrow as it is today.”

Great! We get to keep Noam for two more years. So, how will this dramatic defeat for Noam parlay into reformatting or rather reconstituting his person as it relates to New Rochelleans; particularly Black and Latino residents? If its business as usual, as in dismissing the needs and realties of Black and Latino residents, then Noam has not learned a lesson.

Perhaps Noam has now learned that he must be in tune with what the residents need in New Rochelle not what he or his party wants strategically:

• We need real jobs that involve real hires of people who actually live in New Rochelle – specially our young people;

• We need affordable housing – don’t count the new construction off Lincoln which has actually displaced more people of color than actually creating more housing than before;

• We need meaningful retail that will attract people from within and outside New Rochelle to come to our downtown – have you seen Mamaroneck, Port Chester and White Plains at night? It is lively and pedestrian traffic is awesome and welcomed by small business. Let’s bring large retailers – Whole Foods, Best Buy, and Target, a bookstore or Apple etc.

• Let’s open up our parks, like City Park for our young people to use- not lock up the parks and make their use impossible without permits. How are you to combat obesity if our parks, and regretfully our school fields are always locked or closed? Have you tried running at McKenna field on weekends or holidays? It is pad locked – it’s the only running track in New Rochelle!!!!!

• You have to meet with people. Be nice. Listen to them. Get out of the bed with the developers. The West End does not want the City Yard – fix the one that is there already. It will be less expensive in the long run. Refurbish and be inclusively creative about a new use for the Armory.

• Did I say be nice. Come to El Trigal or the Bread Factory and buy bread. Expand your mind. Diversify your circle of friends. As they say on ESPN, Come On Maann!!!